Dilator



FRANK '.B. GRAHAM, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

DILATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 20, l19.20.

Application led August 13, 1917. Serial No. 185,937.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, FRANK B, GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful mprovement in Dilators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improi'lements in dilators.

lt is particularly adapted for use in dilating the uterus of a large animal, such as cow or mare.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a dilater of the kind described with which the uterus may be easily and quickly expanded and which will permit ready access through the dilater when the latter is expanded to the interior of the uterus, for the insertion of an instrument or medicine.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved dilater shown in the closed or contracted position, portions being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the dilater, partly broken away, as viewed from a point in a line at right angles to the line of view of Fig. 1.

Fig. Bis a central vertical sectional view of the instrument, the arms being shown in the expanded position and the two handles removed.

Fig. 4l is an enlarged cross section on the line 1-4 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the inner end portion of the rotatable operating handle.

Fig, 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of an instrument adapted for insertion through the dilator.

Fig. 10 is an elevation of another instrument insertible through the dilator,

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in the diierent views.

1 designates a head adapted for insertion into the vaginal tract of a cow or mare. Carried by the head 1 are uterus dilating means comprising preferablya plurality of dlating arms 2 having their outer ends respectively pivotally mounted in slots 3 of the head 1. The arms 2 are preferably detachable from the head for the purpose of cleansing and sterilizing. For this purpose, each of the arms 2 is provided at its outer end with a hook 4. Said hooks respectively engage transverse pins 5 mounted in the head 1 and respectively extending across the slots 3.

For normally forcing the arms 2 to the closed position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, any suitable means may be employed. For this purpose, I have shown a rubber band 6 encircling the arms 2.

For forcing the arms 2 to the expanded position shown in Fig. 3, the following described mechanism may be provided.

The head 1 is provided with a longitudinal central screw-threaded hole, in which is axially rotatably fitted a longitudinal tubular externally screw-threaded expanding member 7 which when axially turned in the proper direction, is adapted to have its inner end engage the inner sides of the arms 2 so as to force said arms to the expanded position shown in Fig. 3.

For turning the expanding member 7, I provide an operating handle, preferably composed of the following described parts.

The operating handle is provided at its inner end with a member 8, Fig. 6, provided at its inner end with a central reduced portion 9 which is adapted for insertion into the outer end of the expanding member 7 and which has mounted in it a transverse pin 10 having projecting ends adapted respectively to enter two longitudinal slots 11 having oppositely disposed lateral recesses 12 in the outer end of the member 7. When the portion 9 is inserted in the member 7 and axially turned so that the pin 10 enters the recesses 12, a slide plate 13 mounted in a longitudinal peripheral groove 11i in the inner end of the member 8 slides into slot 11. For sliding the plate 13, it may be provided with a laterally extending pin 15. The plate 13 is adapted to enter one of the slots 1l, when the pin 10 is in the recesses 12.

n The outer end of the operating handle is provided with a T-shaped member 16, the inner end of the shank of which is pivoted by a transverse pin 17 to a link 18 which is pivoted to the member 8 by a transverse pin 19, which is disposed at right angles to the pin 17. This link connection between the members 8 and 16 forms a universal joint Which permits the swinging in any direction of the outer end of the member 16.

For holding the instrument irmly in position, after the operating handle has been removed from the expanding member 7, I provide a longitudinal handle 20 rigidly secured at its inner end to the head 1 and having a right-angled extension 1 at .its outer end. Secured to the handle 20 is a plate 22'having two arms adapted to receive between them the shank of' the member 16, Fig. Ll. As shown in the drawing, the tubular [expanding member 7 is open at both ends and has an unrestricted passage throughout adapted for the insertion therethrough, when the operating handle is removed, of instruments, such as the catheter7 shown in Fig. 9, or the pincers, shown in F ig. 10.

ld'orholding the arms 2 in the expanded position, when the expanding member 7 is removed from the head 1, 1 provide a cen tral longitudinal tube 2", which is circumferentially adjustable in an enlarged portion of the central hole extending through the head 1 and designated by 24, Fig. 3. rllhe inner end of the tube 23 is provided with a square head 25 which, when in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, and in F ig. 3, permits' the arms 2 to close, as shown in Fig. 1. VVhe'n the tube 23 is turned, to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, the corners ot the head will engage the arms 2 and Vretain `them in the open or expanded position, after the member 7 has been unscrewed and withdrawn from the head 1. The tube 23 encircles the inner reduced part olf-the tube-7.

F or circumferentially adjusting the tube 23, it has secured to it a laterally extendingpin 26 which is adapted to alternately strike'two pins 27, between which the pin 26 is located and which are secured to the head 1.l

To hold the tubeV 23 against longitudinal movement, a screw 28 is mounted in a screwthreaded hole in the head 1 and extends into a4 horizontal slot 29 provided in the tube 28, Fig. 7. f

in the operation of my invention, the instrument assembled and disposed as shown in'Fig. 2, is inserted into the vaginal tract of the animal to be operated upon, the arms 2 being inserted into the uterus. rl`he member 16 of the operating handle is then turned so as'to screw inwardly the expanding member 7, which will force the arms 2 to the expanded position shown in F ig. 3, after which the operator may insert his hand in the vaginal tract and slide the plate 13 out of engagement with the member 7, after which, by turning the operating handle clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that the pin -10 may pass out of the slots 11, the operating handle may be withdrawn, following which medicine may be inserted into the uterus through the tubular member 7 or instruments, such as are shown in Figs. 9 and 10 may be inserted through the tubular member 7 into the uterus.

.it it is desired to have a larger opening through the dilater than is afforded by the member 7, the latter may be unscrewed from the head 1 and removed therefrom by means oie the operating handle, the tube 23 having irst been turned to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, so as to retain the arms 2 in the expanded position.

The handle 2O is of a length sufiicient that its outer end will project from the vaginal tract, so that the operator may hold the dilator firmly in operative position, while it is being used.

l do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as modications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit or my invention.

V7 hat l claim is:

1. A dilater of the kind described having a head, dilating means carried by said head, a longitudinal expanding member having screw-threaded and detachable connection with said head and adapted when turned axially in one direction to expand said dilating means, and releasable means for holding the dilating means expanded, when the expanding member has been removed.

2. A dilator of the kind described having a head, dilating means carried by said head, a longitudinal expanding member having screw-threaded and detachable connection with said head and adapted when turned axially in one direction to expandy said dilating means, and a tubular locking member circumferentially adjustable in said head to and from a position in which it will hold the dilating means expanded when the expanding member has been removed.

n testimony whereof I have signedv my name to this specification.

FRANK B. GRAHAM. 

